Macka Palas or Palace

What is now the 5-star deluxe Park Hyatt Hotel on Macka Road was once the Maçka Palas or Palace.  It was built in 1922 by the Italian architect Guilio Mongeri who was also responsible for St. Anthony’s Cathedral on Istiklal Caddesi.  The Palas has been home to; the former president Celal Bayar (1883-1986) who up until 2005 was the longest-lived politician in the world; to novelist Kerime Nadir (1917-1984) and to the Galatasaray goalkeeper, Turgay Şeren.  There is plaque on the wall to commemorate the stay of poet Abdülhak Hamid Tarhan (1852-1937) in 1937.  

Directly opposite is the vast Anatolian Technical High School (Anadolu Teknik Lisesi), again the work of Mongeri and was built at the beginning of the 20th century intended to be the Italian Consulate.  The building was unfinished when the First World War began and when it ended they chose to base themselves in the old Venetian Palace in Taksim and this lovely building became a warehouse for storing tobacco.  Work was finally completed in 1970 and became the beautiful schoolhouse that you see today.  

The Izmir Palas apartment block is just along the road from here and this charming building was constructed in 1925 for Şerifzade Ahmed Süreyya Bey by architect J. d’Armi and was the last of the authentic examples of First National style architecture.